Tickets: $5 (available from July 2012 via www.gatecrash.com.sg, various event partners, and at the door).

3. Guests-of-Honor

This year’s special guests include U.S. based cosplayers Ms. Yaya Han & Ms. Jerry Polence, who will be visiting Singapore for the very first time, Mr Jay Tablante from the Philippines, and the cast and crew of COSPLAY: The Series from Indonesia.

Ms. Yaya Han is a household name in the global cosplay scene. She has more than a decade of experience as a cosplayer, and her costumes have won awards and acclaim throughout the U.S. She has been invited to appear as a Guest, Panelist, Judge, Performer and Host to over 100 conventions and other events all over the world.

Similarly, Ms. Jerry Polence is a U.S. based Filipina cosplayer, model, and blogger with an impressive international following. She has been in the cosplay scene since 2004, and has been featured extensively in various media.

Known in pop-culture circles as “The Geek with the Camera”, internationally acclaimed cosplay photographer Mr.Jay Tablante has collaborated with D.C. and Marvel to produce some of the most iconic and daring images in comic book cosplay of all time.

The cast and crew of COSPLAY: The Series will also be at ICDS, where they will be filming COSPLAY: The Series Singapore Special. They will also be performing at the event, and opening Singapore’s 2nd Annual Cosplay Chess.

COSPLAY: The Series started as a web series in 2011 and has since grown into a content and performance franchise. The team behind it calls themselves the Q-Cosushinkai Project, a congregation of unique and talented cosplayers, performers, musicians, artists, writers, designers, and filmmakers. COSPLAY: The Series has since signed on to a professional artist management contract with PT NAGARAJA FMFE NUSANTARA to boost its professionalism in delivering the best possible content to its fans.

Cosplayers of both Eastern and Western pop-culture titles are invited to join the Cosplay Competition at ICDS.

Registration for the Cosplay Competition is open from now till 30th July 2012, and contestants stand to win cash prizes sponsored by our partners Anibee and Paradigm Infinitum. You can view the full details of the competition here.

You could also strut your stuff on stage in our Cosplay Catwalk. Check out how you can dazzle the stage here.

5. Artists’ Alley, Dealers and Sponsor Booths

Adding to the carnival-like atmosphere is the Artists’ Alley, myriad Dealers and Sponsor Booths.

Ms. Yaya Han and Mr. Jay Tablante will be holding signings at their booths at selected time slots, and fans can partake of a wide variety of pop-culture products.

(And if you’re interested in registering for an Artists’s Alley booth, do check out this page for more details!)

6. Singapore’s 2nd Annual Cosplay Chess

This year’s theme for Cosplay Chess is East & West, pitting characters from popular Japanese animation, games and manga against their counterparts from American comic books, games, movies and novels.

Some popular characters that will take to the stage this year include King Tryndamere from League of Legends, Sara Pezzini from Witchblade, Big Sister from Bioshock 2, Joker from The Batman, Gilgamesh and Saber from the Fate series, Vergil from Devil May Cry, and Sol Badguy from Guilty Gear.

With an early start this year, as well as better logistics support thanks to Ngee Ann Polytechnic and our sponsors, we expect higher production value, and greater quality overall.

We’re really excited about ICDS, and we hope you are too!

Don’t forget to keep tabs on our site and Facebook page for more exciting updates and details in the weeks to come!